South-East Europe has made steady progress towards the 2030 Agenda in recent years. Yet, education systems still face persistent data gaps. Against this backdrop, partnerships are critical, as they reinforce data ecosystems, build trust, and shape the policies and strategies necessary for real transformation.
To shed light on these challenges, the UNESCO Office in Venice organised a side-event titled ‘Partnerships and Trust in Education Systems: rethinking SDG 17 through data from South-East Europe’, within the 2026 Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE Region. Held on 22 April 2026, the dialogue presented findings from 3 years of SDG 4 monitoring across 14 countries, showing how collaboration and trust can reinforce education systems.
Drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics’ data on access, equity, quality, relevance, and financing, the analysis identified trust as a core enabler of effective education governance. While closely tied to strong multi-stakeholder partnerships and transparent data, trust remains largely absent from current SDG 17 indicators.
One central message resonated throughout the presentation: data alone does not drive change. Lasting progress depends on strong relationships and institutions that can turn evidence into action.
Educational transformation does not happen through policy declarations alone. It requires institutions that can work together, generate credible evidence, and create the conditions for trust to grow over time.
Magdalena Landry, Director, UNESCO Venice
Perspectives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malta, and Slovenia enriched the discussion, stressing how institutional cooperation, data-sharing practices, and governance frameworks support policy coherence.
UNESCO introduced 2 complementary indicators to strengthen the SDG 17 measurement in education: one tracking data completeness and cross-sector transparency, and another identifying shared governance markers, such as joint reviews and co-developed policy strategies. Both could be assessed through existing national policy documents.
The discussion made clear that trust builds gradually and that data gaps often reflect governance challenges, not merely technical ones. Experiences from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia showed that barriers are frequently structural and political, requiring shared ownership, long-term commitment, and coordination across boundaries. Malta stressed that data must be actively interpreted and analysed to inform action.
Commonly agreed was that shared data stories are more powerful than individual data points. When multiple stakeholders collaborate not only in producing data but in interpreting it, evidence becomes a collective narrative capable of driving action. This approach was exemplified by Malta’s stakeholder engagement. Involving civil society and non-traditional actors was recognised as essential to foster innovation, knowledge, and accountability.
The regional dimension emerged as a genuine asset. With strong common ground across countries, initiatives like the proposed Regional SDG Education Data Observatory could turn shared ground into shared progress.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/trust-and-partnerships-transform-education-insights-south-east-europe?hub=701
